Plate Boundaries

Front

What is a tectonic plate?

Back

A tectonic plate is a large slab of crust and upper mantle that moves over the earth's surface.

Front

What forms new crust?

Back

New crust forms along a divergent boundary.

Front

What happens at transform boundaries?

Back

At transform boundaries, two plates scrape and slide past each other.

Front

Who is credited with the theory of continental drift?

Back

Alfred Wegener is the scientist credited with the theory of continental drift.

Front

What is a subduction zone?

Back

A subduction zone is the point where one tectonic plate slides beneath another.

Front

What is the lithosphere?

Back

The lithosphere is the rigid outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.

Front

What is a convergent boundary?

Back

A convergent boundary is where two tectonic plates move towards each other, often causing one plate to be forced below the other.

Front

What is a divergent boundary?

Back

A divergent boundary is where two tectonic plates move apart, allowing magma to rise and create new crust.

Front

What is the significance of Pangaea?

Back

Pangaea was a supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, illustrating the concept of continental drift.

Front

What geological features are formed at convergent boundaries?

Back

Mountains, deep ocean trenches, and volcanic arcs are often formed at convergent boundaries.